Southern Region Australian Football and Netball Association

S.R.A.F.N.A - News/Mergers and Movements 2005

After a couple of years of talk and organisation the Southern Region Australian Football and Netball Association has started operation and is based in Wagga Wagga.

The new association replaces the Murrumbidgee Valley Australia Football Association.

The M.V.A.FA. was the governing body of the
Riverina Football League and the Farrer Football League.

The S.R.A.F.N.A will oversea the RFL and FFL plus now giving a administrative body to the Hume, Coreen & District and Northern Riverina Leagues.

For 2005 there will not be any major changes in all leagues.

2006 will see a restructure of the Hume and Coreen Leagues. Both leagues have decided that they need to move forward for survival.

This will probably mean amalgamation of many clubs.

We have already seen a couple of success stories in the RFL and FFL.
Most notably the amalgamation of Ardlethan Stars and Ariah Park Mirrool Bombers in 2004 to become the Northern Jets.

After initial teething problems both towns and local districts got behind the new venture. The Jets now have one of the strongest and active supporter bases in the Riverina.

Some of the possible amalgamations in the future are

Hume League
Walbundrie, Brocklesby & Burrumbuttock could become Southern Rams

Coreen
Urana and Oaklands could become Western Reds

Other possible amalgamations if the 4 major leagues were to restructure. Farrar League Collingullie Ashmont Kappoka Demons with Hume League Lockhart Demons to form the Central Demons

Possible Future Leagues with Amalgamations and also alligning clubs closer together in regions. This would help reduce travel and numbers problems which currently exist.

With smaller numbers in each league the season could end earlier and the 4 premiership teams could play round robin finals to see who is the Champion Team of the S.R.F.N.A.

Northern (former RFL Clubs)
Coolamon Grasshoppers
Ganmain-GG-M Lions
Griffith Swans
Leeton-Whitton Crows
Marrar-Junee Bombers (Current FFL and disbanded club Amalgamation)
Narrandera Eagles
Northern Jets (Currently FFL)
Temora Kangaroos (Currently FFL)

Eastern (former Farrer League Clubs)
Central Demons (Amalgamation Collingullie and Lockhart)
Eastern Hawks (Currently RFL)
Mangoplah-CU-E Goannas (Currently RFL)
North Wagga Saints
Osborne Cats (Currently Hume)
Rivcoll Bushpigs
The Rock-YC Magpies
Turvey Park Bulldogs (Currently RFL)

Southern (Former Hume League Clubs)
Southern Rams (Amalgamation Walbundrie, Burrum & Brocklesby)
Walla Walla Hoppers
Culcairn Lions
Henty Swampies
Holbrook Brookers
Howlong Spiders
Jindera Bulldogs
Murray Magpies (Current Coreen, lost appeal to transfer to Hume League 2005)

Western (Former Coreen Clubs)
Coleambally Blues
Coreen-Daysdale Saints
Hopefield-Buraja Bulldogs
Jerilderie Demons
Oaklands Hawks
Rand Pigeons
Rennie Hoppers
Urana Bombers

Wahgunyah (current Coreen, moves to local Victorian Country League.??
Murray, Picola, Ovens & King)

0r
Western (without loss of Wahgunyah)
Coleambally Blues
Coreen-Daysdale Saints
Hopefield-Buraja Bulldogs
Jerilderie Demons
Rand Pigeons
Rennie Hoppers
Wahgunyah Tigers
Western Reds

great for footy in this state i think,although cant comment as i havent played there and dont know how it will affect communities and clubs alike,but from a Sydney point of view it can only help i guess.anyone out there that will benefit or be affected by it, post something,im curious to see what the locals think.

I can inform you a merger between Walbundrie and Rand footy clubs for next season is close.
Rand is pushing hard for the merger because they haven't got a lot of players, haven't signed a coach for next year and are in a bit of strife.
Walbundrie is only 15km away and they are an obvious merger combo.
Walbundrie held its latest meeting about possibly merging on Sunday night and the few old timers who thought it best to hold on for another year are slowly being turned around.
They have another meeting next week.
The merged team will play in the Hume league and the Coreen league, where Rand has been a finalist for the past three years, will sink further into trouble.

its a shame,because every club,be they 100 or 5 yrs old,still has its die-hards and history/tradition,but i guess its gotta happen.are Rand and Walbundrie rival clubs? a amte used to run around at Burrumbottock,so he's been a bit nostalgic of late. which club are you at,or just keen observer?another thing,if it sets up that way,with Hume Coreen spilling into MVAFA(for lack of better initials)rep team,the boys from Sydney reps will have to be wary.i hope so anyway.

Yep read about the Walbundrie Rand Merger yesterday. Being in separate leagues for 22 years the rivalry may have diminsihed. If the Northern Jets merger can work I'm sure the Walb/Rand should

I believe players from the Hume league were in the MVAFA Rep side this year.
There may have been Coreen not sure. But I'd say there will next year

The Walbundrie / Rand merger was not passed by Walbundrie for 2005 season but it was a unanimous decision to proceed in 2006.

From Albury Border Mail 30/12/04 and Coreen Website

"A merger between Walbundrie and Rand will not take place next season.

Walbundrie members voted on Wednesday 29th December against proceeding with a merger with Rand, opting to aim for an amalgamation for the 2006 season.

While the vote was still one of overwhelming support for the merger, the club remained tight-lipped over the issues behind the decision last night.

President Bruce McInnes said a deciding factor was that members felt a merger in time for next season would be rushed and denied the issue hinged around a group of core players who had threatened to leave the club if it merged.

McInnes declined to go into further detail about issues discussed at the meeting.

"There are still quite a few issues to sort out," he said.

"We don't want to say anything to upset Rand before we can have a talk with them."

"The final word is the merger is not dead in the water," McInnes said.

"There is a heap more questions to get answers for."

McInnes said that with a strong vote of support for the merger to go ahead in 2006 the club would re-start talks with Rand in the pre-season.

"Well probably start talking to them some time in February," McInnes said.

"The decision was just based on the rush factor.

""f we had started these talks halfway through the season then we would have gone ahead.

"Rand is very important to us.

"For two small communities to survive its a must.

"This is bigger than football; it is also about the towns."

On the subject of a supposed player revolt raised by Rand president James Kreutzberger in The Border Mail last week McInnes said he was unaware of any disquiet.

"Id like to know where James got that from," he said.

"From a player point of view it would have been a tough ask for them to merge with contracts already set for the season."

While disappointed with last nights decision Kreutzberger said Rand would continue to look towards the merger.

"The relationship will still be strong," he said.

"A merger is inevitable the way country football is going."

Kreutzberger said the club would now focus on securing a coach for the season after putting things on hold while the merger decision was finalised.

Rand has made the finals of the Coreen league in the past three seasons."

Mergers in SRAFNA - Oaklands/Urana Crows (Coreen League)

Courtesy - Border Mail

Billabong Crows

URANA and Oaklands have merged to play in the Coreen and District league two months before the start of the 2005 season.

Officials from both clubs agreed to the union on Sunday after talks started less than a fortnight ago.

The merger was officially ratified last Wednesday at a Coreen executive meeting with the league's latest combined outfit set to play in Adelaide
Crows colours under preferred coach Sam Wooden, who had been re-appointed coach of Urana for 2005.

Among the details to be thrashed out in the countdown to the season is the team alternating home matches and training sessions at Urana and Oaklands which are located about 30km apart.

"There are two ways of looking at it," Coreen league secretary Lindsay Norman said.

"History-wise it's a sad day when two of our oldest clubs find themselves in this situation.

"But, future-wise, it is great."

The Oaklands and Urana alliance is the latest chapter in a turbulent off-season for the Coreen league.

Murray Magpies unsuccessfully tried to switch to the Hume league and Rand was foiled in its bid to merge with Hume league club Walbundrie.

Twelve months ago, Hopefield-Buraja went into recess and |has been unable to re-form for 2005.

The eight clubs left in the Coreen league will play 18 home and away matches with a top four.

"There has been a lot of work in a short space of time," Urana president Kevin McNuff said.

"Oaklands approached me and I went to our committee because the courteous thing to do was to listen.

"I am looking forward to it.

"It's the way to go because there will probably be changes in the future and we will be better off," McNuff said.

"If you don't change and evolve with the times you get left behind."

Urana is hopeful Wooden will coach the merged team.

"If our present coach wants the job it is his," McNuff said.

"He is a little concerned about numbers but that can be alleviated.

"I don't see any problem."

Oaklands, which was originally known as Clear Hills, played off in the 2003 grand final before slumping to wooden-spooners last season with only one victory.

Urana finished ninth and also claimed only one win in 2004.

"Country football is in trouble," Oaklands committeeman John Doyle said.

"We aren't in trouble yet, but I reckon in the next one to two years we will be.

"We are being proactive rather than being put in a position where we are told to do something we might not be happy about.

"We will put our toe in the water and see what Urana looks like and they can have a look at us."

Movements and Mergers - Parkes Panthers

The Parkes Panthers have got approval from AFL NSW/ACT and Central West Football League to move back across to the Northern Riverina Football League

Refer link for details

Here is a link from the local Parkes paper about the decision:
parkes.yourguide.com.au/d...class_id=8